Manchester United half-term report: Louis van Gaal on the brink of expulsion, Wayne Rooney must do better

How has Manchester United's season been so far?

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (Getty Images)

The season so far…

A side guilty of possession without intent to supply. No team has played more backwards passes, looked so blunt at the sharp end or been as utterly uninspiring in their play as Manchester United.

Their defensive solidity, which increasingly seems borne out of the austere style rather than Chris Smalling being Franco Baresi reincarnate, is not much compensation to most supporters. In any case, now that the likes of Norwich and Stoke City are breaking down their usually-dependable backline, there is little positive to be said about this floundering side.

Combined with a group stage Champions League exit, it all spells the end for manager Louis van Gaal, who is likely to leave Old Trafford in the coming days. Monday’s home match with this season’s other major underachievers, Chelsea, should be the 64-year-old’s last and their former manager Jose Mourinho is the favourite to replace him.

In terms of the playing staff, Wayne Rooney, club captain, must do better, although he has attracted a disproportionate amount of criticism. Memphis Depay, Michael Carrick and Juan Mata have also disappointed while the brighter sparks are either unproven (Jesse Lingard), played out of position (Ashley Young and Ander Herrera) or likely to be on their way (David De Gea).

Pre-season expectations

After achieving the ‘bare minimum’ last term, United were supposed to kick on this time. A top four finish would not be enough. A serious title tilt was needed.

It looked as though they may just muster one, despite all the complaints, when a 3-0 victory over Sunderland saw them go top of the table at the end of September.

Louis van Gaal says he will 'wait and see' if he is sacked as Manchester United manager (Getty Images)

However, that brief stint on top of the pile, the first during Van Gaal’s reign, had more to do with an erratic, unpredictable Premier League season rather than their own qualities. Now, they face competition for Champions League qualification, and only a major turnaround could bring about a title challenge.

What they need in January…

The right manager, interim or permanent, will go much further to arresting their slide than any realistic target in January’s window could.

Nevertheless, added pace in the forward line would not go amiss. A move for Mainz striker Yoshinori Muto has been mooted in the last few days and he would, at the very least, offer something new to this tepid and pedestrian team.

Prediction: 5th

Much rests on the next month. There are as many cons as pros when weighing up the the appointment of Jose Mourinho but he is the best candidate immediately available on the market. Even he, however, may not be able to salvage a top four finish from this mish-mash of a squad.

Grade: D